Kalista blinked, her mind catching up several seconds too late.
Did she just say that out loud?
Darenn's words echoed, almost teasingly gentle. "Uh… wait. You… like me?"
Her brain short-circuited. "W-what?! No! I mean… you—!"
She took a stumbling step back, heat rushing up her neck. "I don't! You're—that's—!"
Darenn, for once, looked completely lost. "...That's not a denial."
Kalista made a strangled noise that could've been a growl, a squeak, or both. "You're impossible!"
She spun on her heel, marching away from him, her boots squelching against the damp earth.
"Kalista, wait—"
"Don't you dare follow me!" she snapped without looking back.
He, of course, followed her.
"Kalista!"
"Go away!"
"Kalista—"
She picked up speed, muttering curses under her breath until her foot caught on a root.
"Aaah!"
"Kalista!"
There was a "splash!" followed by a startled yelp, and suddenly both of them were tumbling into the shallow edge of the lake.
